Tucked away in Osaka Prefecture lies Minoh City, renowned for its breath-taking Minoh Park. Just a while ago, this place was overrun by playful troops of around 200 wild Japanese macaques (snow monkeys or Osaru in Japanese), that thrived amidst the autumnal beauty of Minoh Park. These intelligent creatures, with their thick reddish-brown fur and expressive faces are beloved symbols of the area and would occasionally interact with locals and visitors. Unfortunately, due to occasional conflicts with another ape species (humans), the monkeys were relocated to the higher reaches of Mount Minoh, so hikers continue to have Osaru sightings but they are much less frequent now. It is this city where Minoh Beer Brewery was born.

Founded in 1997 by Masaji Ohshita, a liquor store owner, this brewery sought to break the mould of Japan's beer scene, which at the time was largely dominated by a handful of major players with a homogenous focus – you may remember the “Dry Beer Wars” sparked by Asahi where the major Japanese brewers focused on perfecting one specific style that appealed most to consumers. Masaji thirsted for diversity and yearned for a more artisanal touch lacking in Japanese beer. His craft beer venture was perfectly timed, aligning with the 1994 shift in Japanese law that eased restrictions around small brewery licenses.

It wasn’t just blind passion. Masaji’s vision for Minoh Beer was shaped not only by the lack of variety in the Japanese beer market, but also by the fallout of a fierce discounting war between many Japanese liquor stores and grocery chains. This price battle chipped away at profits, and fuelled his desire to produce and sell a unique product of his own.

Although the brewery was started by a Japanese ojisan, it has a distinct feminine flair thanks to the importance of Masaji’s three daughters in the success of the brewery, who are affectionally dubed the “Minoh Sisters” in local media. His eldest daughter Kaori’s involvement has been most pivotal – Kaori took over as head brewer and was responsible for making many of Minoh's acclaimed beers. Kaori's passion is matched by her sisters, Mayuko, who oversees the Minoh Beer Belly bars in Osaka, and the third sister, who joined the business in 2010. The strong family ties and the leadership of the Minoh Sisters have become a defining characteristic of the brewery itself.

Minoh's lineup of beers sport iconic primary colour labels, and covers a range of styles from a pilsner, to IPAs, stouts and pale ale. In this review, we turn our attention to their orange label Pale Ale that is made from American hops and promises a beautifully balanced brew.

Minoh Brewery Pale Ale, 5.5% ABV – Review

Nose: This opens with a classic American pale ale character – rich, sweet malts, vibrant citrus like grapefruit and orange peel, and even a hint of vanilla. There's a touch of floral brightness with a lingering richness with an overall hoppiness that seems a bit less bitter than a traditional American pale ale (I’m using Sierra Nevada Pale Ale as a benchmark).

Palate: Very vibrant, citrusy and layered. Grapefruit leads the way, followed by a pithy, layered hop character that's surprisingly well-balanced. The texture is lovely and creamy with pleasant pillowy foam, and it’s medium-bodied, with an interesting touch of brininess. Malt sweetness seamlessly blends into an aromatic barley note at back of the palate. There’s also light floral flourish of an osmanthus jelly-like flavour that is both refreshingly bright and subtly bitter.

Finish: Refreshing, clean, and light. The pithiness continues at just the right intensity, leaving that malty barley sweetness on the palate. There's even a light soapy quality that reminds me of baby shampoo.

My Thoughts:

Very well-balanced, a pale ale with a Japanese character that really shines through. There's a beautiful harmony between creamy texture and those bright citrus hops. The maltiness, grapefruit, and pithiness all come together beautifully and seamlessly.

While it’s not overly complex, it's very tasty and incredibly drinkable.

My Rating: 7.5 /10

Minoh Beer W-IPA, 9% ABV – Review

Nose: Very rich, sweet and really malty – almost like an amber beer but a little more citrusy. Sweetness dominates upfront, showing layers of toffee, caramel, and a hint of maple syrup. Balancing this are subtle fruit notes, like grapefruit zest and a touch of red dates. As it warms, hints of roasted malt emerges, not quite full roast, but adding smoky depth alongside dark, umami savoury soy sauce notes.

Palate: Perhaps the ‘W’ in “W-IPA” stands for “Wow!” because wow, this is a heavy hitter! Rich malt characters take hold immediately – toffee, caramel, cream cracker biscuits and a bready, slightly yeasty quality reminiscent of marmite on toast. Grapefruit sweetness shows up, but a wave of assertive hop bitterness quickly takes over mid-palate along with a dry citric zestiness that constantly zaps the tongue. Over time, the robust alcohol begins to open up more depth, with notes of roasted cereal, a hint of vanilla and lingering coffee with hints of resin adding to the complexity.

Finish: Long and memorable. Bitterness remains a dominant force, alongside the malty sweetness and a distinct roasted coffee bean note.

My Thoughts

This is one of my favourite IPAs I have tasted in a while. It’s rich, bold and pulls no punches, giving us a delicious story of bold malts, bright citrus, and roasty coffee undertones. This is the sort of beer that leaves a lasting impression and invites you back for more.

Its hoppy intensity would mean that it gets overwhelming for those who dislike strong bitterness. But that’s not something you can complain about – for hop-lovers, this delivers exactly the powerful punch that an Imperial IPA promises. It is, after all, the cask strength whisky of the IPA world.

A robust beer like this would pair incredibly well with bold dishes. Think spicy curries, roast meats or strong aged cheeses.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Minoh Stout, 5.5% ABV – Review

Nose: Rich, sweet and milky. Burst with sweetened Starbucks café mocha with a splash of milk, all underpinned by lots of rich roasted malts. There's also a distinct syrupy sweetness of dates, monkfruits and perhaps a light Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (Chinese herbal cough syrup) flavour.  

Palate: Rich, roasty and dry. It continues on the theme of roasted malts with a subtle hint of dark soy sauce. It's fairly straightforward, and also lighter bodied for a stout which makes it incredibly easy to drink. Flavours unfold with milk coffee and hints of marshmallow, but also a distinct karakuchi note that emerges – that dry, almost citrusy prickle that cuts through the richness. The texture would be a bit better if there had been more foam, but this batch doesn't seem that foamy.

Finish: Relatively short, leaving a touch of slightly burnt roastiness lingering on the palate.

My Thoughts:

This is a well-balanced and incredibly drinkable stout from Minoh. The karakuchi note makes this a perfect pairing for rich, oily dishes.

While enjoyable, the competition is fierce the Japanese beer industry. So even the mass-produced porter or stout-style beers like Asahi Black can offer fantastic quality at a lower price point. This is a good stout, but not one I'd go out of my way to find. 

My Rating: 6/10 

Minoh Beer Osaru IPA, 6% ABV – Review

Nose: Sweetness leads the way with classic West Coast IPA tropical notes - ripe mango and pineapple jump out immediately, along with a burst of citrus. There's a sweet, almost sherbert-like quality with hints of lemon and orange, tempered by an underlying grassy freshness.

Palate: The initial sip is all about the hops, delivering a wave of bitterness and citric influences. There's a straightforward malt base that quickly gets swept away by spicy hops, with plenty of pithiness and citrus notes. Hints of dried mango and some indistinct tropical fruits offer a bit of tropical sweetness, but those fade quite quickly and meld into a subtle grassiness.

Finish: On the shorter side, dominated by basic hoppiness with a touch of pinenuts and a slightly drying sappy sensation.

My Thoughts

This is definitely one for the hop lovers! It channels that classic West Coast IPA feel, but for me, it unfortunately leans a bit too heavily on bitterness and dry citrus. I'd prefer those upfront hops to be balanced with perhaps some sweeter malty or bright fruity flavours on the palate to keep things a bit more balanced. It's a decent brew, but it left me wanting those richer, juicier more decadent notes that the child in me would enjoy.

My Rating: 5.5/10

@CharsiuCharlie